brake fluid flush
#1
10-26-2015, 10:13 PM
brake fluid flush
Hi - First time bleeding the brakes and just read the e-book's brake fluid change routine, (posted below) ..anyone have anything to add?
Larry 
7.6 - Bleeding The Brakes ( , )
First some tips:
1) Rear brakes won't bleed very well (at all?) unless power assist is pumped up.
2) With power assist you can push a lot of fluid out without knowing it. Bleed tube has nasty habit of blowing off - just when you think things are going well this lake of brake fluid appears!
3) You need 2 Quarts of fluid
4) To drain system, undo steel "brake" line that runs from electric pump/ accumulator to top of master cylinder. Put plastic tube from this into container and turn ignition switch to first position. Pump will then empty most of reservoir. Drain rest through brake lines to wheels (after replacing line to master cylinder). This method works well because pump has lowest point on reservoir.
5) Electric pump doesn't like to self prime. Undo pipe (mentioned in 4) and let air bleed out with ignition in first position. If this doesn't work, remove pump and turn it sideways.
6) Replacing clip on pin that holds master cylinder rod/ fork to brake pedal is tricky as you have to work inside small hole (where rubber bungs are). Take a 3 inch nail or similar diameter piece of metal and make an "L" shape. This can be pushed through loops on clip and make it easier to position. Also hold down brake pedal a fraction so that pin is moved away from access opening (but not too far away). A long stick off the front seat works fine. The "tool" can then be used to position the clip in the groove on the pin. Once this is done, it is fairly easy to push it on.
First some tips:
1) Rear brakes won't bleed very well (at all?) unless power assist is pumped up.
2) With power assist you can push a lot of fluid out without knowing it. Bleed tube has nasty habit of blowing off - just when you think things are going well this lake of brake fluid appears!
3) You need 2 Quarts of fluid
4) To drain system, undo steel "brake" line that runs from electric pump/ accumulator to top of master cylinder. Put plastic tube from this into container and turn ignition switch to first position. Pump will then empty most of reservoir. Drain rest through brake lines to wheels (after replacing line to master cylinder). This method works well because pump has lowest point on reservoir.
5) Electric pump doesn't like to self prime. Undo pipe (mentioned in 4) and let air bleed out with ignition in first position. If this doesn't work, remove pump and turn it sideways.
6) Replacing clip on pin that holds master cylinder rod/ fork to brake pedal is tricky as you have to work inside small hole (where rubber bungs are). Take a 3 inch nail or similar diameter piece of metal and make an "L" shape. This can be pushed through loops on clip and make it easier to position. Also hold down brake pedal a fraction so that pin is moved away from access opening (but not too far away). A long stick off the front seat works fine. The "tool" can then be used to position the clip in the groove on the pin. Once this is done, it is fairly easy to push it on.
#2
10-27-2015, 03:47 PM
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Larry,
I don't remember fooling with half of that stuff on either our '88 or '93. On our '93, what I recall doing was something like this:
1. Remove the brake fluid reservoir cap and carefully snap out the filter screen.
2. Use a syringe or fluid transfer pump to remove as much old fluid as possible from the reservoir. I tried a turkey baster first but it wanted to drip too much between the reservoir and my catch can, so I used a large syringe with a short section of rubber tubing. I wrapped an old towel around the MC to catch any drips.
3. Replace the filter screen, fill the reservoir with fresh fluid and replace the cap.
4. Start at the right rear caliper (or farthest wheel from the reservoir) and bleed the brakes until clear fresh fluid appears. I can't remember if my wife had to pump the brake pedal in our '93 or was just able to slightly depress the pedal to cause the fluid to flow, but somehow we got it done.
5. Obviously you need to top up the reservoir frequently to avoid sucking air into the system.
6. The standard order is to start at the wheel farthest from the reservoir and work your way to the closest wheel, so on our LHD car it was RR, LR, RF, LF.
I've done this on several vehicles and they were all a little different, so my apologies if I've forgotten any important detail.
I hope someone else has done it more recently. For our BMW I bought one of those pump-up tanks that pressurizes the brake system and replenishes the MC fluid so one person can flush/bleed the system by himself. I haven't tried it on our Jags but I'm planning to give it a go on our '04.
Cheers,
Don
I don't remember fooling with half of that stuff on either our '88 or '93. On our '93, what I recall doing was something like this:
1. Remove the brake fluid reservoir cap and carefully snap out the filter screen.
2. Use a syringe or fluid transfer pump to remove as much old fluid as possible from the reservoir. I tried a turkey baster first but it wanted to drip too much between the reservoir and my catch can, so I used a large syringe with a short section of rubber tubing. I wrapped an old towel around the MC to catch any drips.
3. Replace the filter screen, fill the reservoir with fresh fluid and replace the cap.
4. Start at the right rear caliper (or farthest wheel from the reservoir) and bleed the brakes until clear fresh fluid appears. I can't remember if my wife had to pump the brake pedal in our '93 or was just able to slightly depress the pedal to cause the fluid to flow, but somehow we got it done.
5. Obviously you need to top up the reservoir frequently to avoid sucking air into the system.
6. The standard order is to start at the wheel farthest from the reservoir and work your way to the closest wheel, so on our LHD car it was RR, LR, RF, LF.
I've done this on several vehicles and they were all a little different, so my apologies if I've forgotten any important detail.
I hope someone else has done it more recently. For our BMW I bought one of those pump-up tanks that pressurizes the brake system and replenishes the MC fluid so one person can flush/bleed the system by himself. I haven't tried it on our Jags but I'm planning to give it a go on our '04.
Cheers,
Don
Last edited by Don B; 10-27-2015 at 10:15 PM.
#3
10-27-2015, 05:15 PM
